After a wonderful day with family and food in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, North Carolina we headed west to Asheville. The spring wild flowers were blooming along the byways brightening the roadside with splashes of red, yellow and purple.
The clouds thickened as the Smoky Mountains cane into view. We took a detour to take a short hike to the Catawba Falls in the Pisgah National Forest. We waited for the rain to stop and although the thunder threatened, we managed to complete the 2.5 miles round trip hike with only a few drops of rain falling on us. At times we were all alone with the sounds of burbling water and birds chirping as we walked through the forest path. But we were not alone, with so many others sharing the joy of the cascading falls against the backdrop of new spring green foliage. This was a wonderful and memorable hike.
https://www.relive.cc/view/v26MXdMrB3O
Before we got back on the road to Asheville, we couldn’t resist a stop at a roadside burger and ice cream restaurant. I am sure you will understand why.
It was actually closed for a private gathering, so there was no afternoon treat beside the photos.
We managed another mini walk through Asheville’s Urban Trail. There are 30 stops; we stopped at two. The second stop is where drovers herded livestock across the mountains from Tennessee to southern markets, taking turkeys, pigs and cows as far as Charleston. The sculptures are charming. Behind the sculptures were the leftover posters from a peace rally. No people, only signs.
Our city walk abruptly came to an end when we stopped in to one of our favorite tapas restaurants, Curate. This began our eating and drinking portion of our Asheville visit. As sated as we were, a stop at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge managed to happen as well.
Long or short, a visit to Asheville is always rejuvenating and delicious.
Where is Wendy 
The waterfall hike sounds lovely! What a beautiful place.
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